Patti Cotton

Executive Coach & Career Strategist

influence

Why Human Experience Trumps Employee Engagement

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Why Human Experience Trumps Employee Engagement
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What’s so important about human experience in the workplace? Well, everything.

If you are looking to retain great talent, to reinforce healthy and positive culture, and to rise above the competition, then helping your employees find meaning in their work is non-negotiable.

But aren’t you doing this this through providing a great employee experience? No.

Employee engagement initiatives continue to take main stage to respond to and encourage employee motivation, commitment, and the quality of contribution at work. A lot of money and energy have been poured into these endeavors, but we aren’t seeing the results we had hoped for. Why is this?

The truth is, employee engagement initiatives aren’t working, because we feel we can elevate employee engagement by providing attractive perks and rewards. And these don’t respond to the real need.

Recent research findings from Deloitte’s 2019 Global Human Capital Trends examines this challenge. The writers show that employee motivation is driven by career, purpose, and meaning from work.

This means we need to enhance the human experience for each and every employee. Impossible task? Not really.

We simply need to help the employee answer the following questions:

  1. Do I belong to the team, to the organization?

Who are we and why do we belong together? As leader, you can work with your team members to answer these questions through the way you define and live your mission and shared values. See the article “Does Your Team Live Up to Its Values” for a great way to make this come alive.

  1. Am I safe?

Do I work in a trusting environment with individuals whom I respect and who respect me? Every employee must feel they can work together with their team without doubt or reservation, and to know team members can count on each other. This means ensuring a culture of high trust. How well do you and your company measure up? Take the time to examine the components of trust and see where your energy and efforts need to focus – this one thing changes everything at the individual, team, and organizational levels.

HOW MUCH

DO OTHERS REALLY TRUST YOU?

​Learn the two vital parts to trust and how they can help you become a more highly effective leader.

GET THE INFOGRAPHIC

  1. Do I make a difference to the larger picture?

Am I able to use my gifts and strengths in a role allowing me to contribute in a way that makes an impact? Ensuring right job fit and design is just part of this. Reinforcing the contributions of the individual means to teach your employees to recognize the efforts of others and to express this as part of your culture. When was the last time that you told a member of your executive team how they made a difference to the larger picture? Your culture must reflect this at all levels.

  1. Together, do we bring something of value to the world?

Do we as a team and company contribute something that makes a difference to the world? Ask yourself why your company exists. If the answer to your “why” is to make money or products, then you are in trouble. How does the service or product your business offers make a difference for your customers? What are they able to do, live, enjoy that they wouldn’t otherwise? The answers to this must be understood and communicated regularly to your entire employee base. For a refresher on how to define this, read Sinek’s book Start with Why, or see his TED talk “How Leaders Inspire Action.”

  1. Is there room for me to grow here?

One of the top concerns of a thriving CEO is to define and articulate clear career paths within the company to inspire and motivate your employees. These CEOs also make sure that their learning and development efforts include relevant personal and professional growth offerings. How do your L&D efforts measure up? And if you think your employees can’t take time for this, think again. Best companies are making sure their people have this available through regular face-to-face and virtual instruction with a coach approach to ensure that true learning occurs. The rewards are exponential.

What kind of human experience are you offering to your employees?

I suggest that as you start out on the path to providing something of great meaning and value, that you begin by personally answering the five questions above. Walking the talk will not only help you to integrate human experience as culture, it will also help you to personally become more motivated and engaged as you lead these efforts.

© Patti Cotton and patticotton.com. All rights reserved. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express written permission from the author is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that attribution is made to Patti Cotton and patticotton.com, with links thereto.

Mutiny on the Executive Team

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Mutiny on the Executive Team
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Do you pride yourself on leading a cohesive team? Or are there rumblings of mutiny?

Team revolt may sneak up on you unless you are alert to the factors in your own leadership that breed this.

Signs that such trouble is brewing can include team members contesting your decisions, questioning meetings, and team silos.

When team members don’t trust their leader to lead, they will discount him or her, and attempt to lead as a group (or more than one group!) instead.

Here are common poor leadership behaviors that cause this.

  1. Poor decision-making practices.

Asking the team for input when you have already made your decision.

Getting others’ opinions when you have already made up your mind is a nasty surprise to those involved. This move will quickly diminish trust in you since your team members will spot this and feel you are disingenuous. Don’t ask unless you really want some additional perspective.

If this is you, ask yourself why you feel the need to ask others if you don’t really want to consider their opinions. Is it because you feel the need to be seen as inclusive or collegial? Show them they are valued? Come up with genuine ways to meet these needs.

Making decisions on the fly without investigating the whole picture.

Nothing says “poor decision-making” like making a decision based on a quick and partial picture. This also erodes trust and your team will be reticent to come to you with challenges, for fear you may make a hasty decision without considering all the pieces. If you find you are making decisions in this way, you are probably in chronic “fire-fighting” mode. Take a deep breath, gather the rest of the necessary information before acting.

Involving people in decision-making who don’t need to be a part of the process.

Many meetings veer off course when leaders pause to make quick decisions on an agenda item that should just involve just one or two people. You may think you are saving time, but others are held hostage while you dive into the weeds.

The result is that meetings needing just 60 minutes can last up to 3-4 hours. This is a poor allocation of scarce resources (your team and the work they really need to be doing instead of sitting in such a meeting). It says, “I don’t respect your time,” and/or “I can’t manage appropriately by having a separate meeting about this.” (For more on conducting productive meetings, see McKinsey’s article “Want a Better Decision? Plan a Better Meeting!”)

  1. Fear of confrontation.

When a leader allows a disruptive personality or situation to fester without confronting it, others lose respect

Such behavior says, “I am not in charge, I am not in control.” This is compounded when your team members bring the situation to you as critical and ask you to fix it, since it is within your scope of responsibilities. If you fear confrontation, please get help. It may be a matter of just not knowing how. For more on this, see the article “Why You Don’t Have That Critical Conversation.”

  1. Lack of accountability.

Are you able to make decisions and to confront situations or personalities that need your attention?

The third behavioral culprit that can cause your team members to lose respect for your leadership is that of a lack of ability to hold others accountable. Aren’t sure this is you? Reflect as to whether you have a chronic complaint about someone or something that keeps occurring, even if you have addressed it. This will steer you toward those areas or people whom you are not holding accountable.

If you find yourself making the statement, “I’ve tried time and again, but s/he persists in _______,” this is a clear indicator. Are you someone who equates holding others accountable with meting out punishment? Think again. For a great three-step process to holding others accountable, see Jonathon Raymond’s article “Do You Understand What Accountability Really Means?”

Before mutiny begins to stir on your team, reflect on these points and ask where you might make some personal improvements. The stakes to your leadership are enormous, and results from making the necessary adjustments are exponential.

HOW MUCH

DO OTHERS REALLY TRUST YOU?

​Learn the two vital parts to trust and how they can help you become a more highly effective leader.

GET THE INFOGRAPHIC

© Patti Cotton and patticotton.com. All rights reserved. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express written permission from the author is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that attribution is made to Patti Cotton and patticotton.com, with links thereto.

Do You Have an Accidental Leader on Your Team?

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Do You Have an Accidental Leader on Your Team?
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Do you have a team member who has stumbled into leadership? You know, that person who, because they are talented, has been pushed to promotion at every turn.

This is a problem, because accidental leaders are often elevated without being provided the proper support.

That’s why many of them fail.

How can you tell if you have an accidental leader – and how can you help them to succeed?

Recognizing your accidental leader

You have a team member who has been promoted because they were talented at a functional specialty. Or someone above them in the hierarchical structure has left the business and they have been asked to fill the gap.

But your accidental leader is floundering, now. Even though they have area-specific skills, they struggle with core competencies and interpersonal relationships. They may have a challenge managing multiple pieces, or they have not gained the respect of his reports. This slows down an entire area of operation.

Your accidental leader has a limited shelf life and time is running out.

If you are like most companies, your organization is full of good people in this situation, and their lack of ability is compromising your ability to do business.

How can you turn this around?

The components to successfully developing their leadership is the same, whether you are intervening with one accidental leader or several.

  1. Co-design their 90-day plan.

Work with your accidental leader to outline the focus of their first 90 days. This plan should include targeting short-term wins to build reputation, steps toward long-term goals for focus and traction, important activities for visibility, and key stakeholders to include in their initiatives to build influence. The plan allows you to mentor them as they make progress, pinpointing any areas that require a teaching moment.

  1. Provide the right kind of support.

The accidental leader needs support through formal and informal training. Coursework addressing important elements of leadership such as communication, influence and agility should be included. The new leader should also be paired with a seasoned “buddy” who helps them to learn the ins and outs of being on the executive team, fast-track strategic networking, and serve as a sounding board.

  1. Fast-track their potential through sponsoring them.

You, as seasoned leader, can help them to gain great credibility by being their sponsor (some refer to this as “champion.”) Moving beyond mentoring, a sponsor is an advocate invested in a protégé’s success. Advocacy can take the shape of positioning the accidental leader and opening doors and facilitating career-building opportunities for the new leader.

I help companies implement this approach on both individual and large scales, and the results are remarkable. Top leadership reports higher performance, increased trust throughout the company, and a renewed confidence around taking the organization into the future.

HOW MUCH

DO OTHERS REALLY TRUST YOU?

​Learn the two vital parts to trust and how they can help you become a more highly effective leader.

GET THE INFOGRAPHIC

© Patti Cotton and patticotton.com. All rights reserved. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express written permission from the author is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that attribution is made to Patti Cotton and patticotton.com, with links thereto.

Keeping Your Cool with Difficult Personalities

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Keeping Your Cool with Difficult Personalities
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I admit to having certain hot buttons that, when pushed, really test my ability to keep my cool.

How do you remain calm, focused, and even-handed when someone is triggering yours?

You need three things to stay cool when your buttons are pushed.

  1. Know your hot buttons.

Here is a comprehensive list of hot buttons and explanations that are part of the Conflict Dynamics Profile I use to coach team conflict.

    • Unreliable – those who are unreliable, miss deadlines, cannot be counted on
    • Overly-analytical – those who are perfectionists, over-analyze things. and focus too much on minor issues
    • Unappreciative – those who fail to give credit to others or seldom praise good performance
    • Aloof – those who isolate themselves, do not seek input from others, or are hard to approach
    • Micro-managing – those who constantly monitor and check up on the work of others
    • Self-centered – those who are self-centered or believe they are always correct
    • Abrasive – those who are arrogant, sarcastic, and abrasive
    • Untrustworthy – those who exploit others, take underserved credit, or cannot be trusted
    • Hostile – those who lose their tempers, become angry inappropriately, yell at others

Which of these are your hot buttons?

In order to tame them, you must recognize them first.

  1. Take a moment to ward off flooding.

Emotions rise when we are triggered, and we can experience what is called “flooding.” This is another term for overwhelm, during which the stress hormones adrenalin and cortisol flood the nervous system and put us in a state of fight or flight.

The problem with flooding is that it influences our thought patterns and the way we see others. Poor thinking and reactions ensue. Science tells us that it requires around 20 minutes or more for flooding to dissipate – and in some situations, you may not be able to afford such a pause.

How do you get in front of this? 

    • Sharpen your awareness around early trigger signs before it becomes a problem.

If you recognize one of your hot buttons has just been pushed, take three deep breaths (literally!), relax your shoulders, and pause. Identify the physical sensations you are experiencing as a result of the trigger. Where do you feel tense or weight? Is your heart rate elevating? Name these as you piece them out as a way to separate them from you. Continue slow and easy breathing to calm these sensations down.

    • What emotions are you experiencing?

Remind yourself that these are separate from the actual issue at hand. If you are in a “hot state” and you can’t regulate this, you will continue to encourage the flooding process.

    • End the conversation if you recognize you are flooded.

Tell the other person you will need to take a break and come back a bit later to continue the conversation. Go for a walk, if possible, and as you piece out and calm down your emotions and physical sensations, refocus to the actual issue at hand. What conversation is needed to resolve the interaction? 

  1. Train yourself to redirect natural impulses to react.

In a calm and reflective state in which there is no triggering situation at hand, review your list of hot buttons.

For each, recall how you normally react when it has been activated. Now, imagine how you would like to respond to it in future. Rewrite 1-2 instances where this hot button has been pushed in the past. Now, in the place of the reaction you had to the situation, visualize yourself responding in the ideal way you have envisioned.

Run this through your mind several times to create a brain “memory.” As you do this over time, your brain will begin to recall this as an established pattern and move toward it in situations where you are triggered.

What is the stress from reacting to triggers costing you?

If you are like most, the list can include your ability to make good decisions, enjoy healthy and productive relationships, your ability to lead, and ultimately, your health. I challenge you to learn how manage yourself in a more effective way by mastering your hot buttons.

HOW MUCH

DO OTHERS REALLY TRUST YOU?

​Learn the two vital parts to trust and how they can help you become a more highly effective leader.

GET THE INFOGRAPHIC

© Patti Cotton and patticotton.com. All rights reserved. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express written permission from the author is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that attribution is made to Patti Cotton and patticotton.com, with links thereto.

How High Is Your Connectivity Quotient?

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Your ability to influence and impact others requires that you build bonds and trust. To do this, you must be able to connect genuinely – and well.

How can you increase your connectivity in a world of urgency and speed?

This actually is a matter of life and death, if we are to extrapolate from MIT professor and researcher Sherry Turkle, who wrote the book Reclaiming Conversations. Turkle reveals that because of the increasing decline of empathy among the younger generations, we are now witnessing depression, anxiety, and stress climbing quickly. In fact, Turkle observes that we are seeing the most severe depression in teenagers today that we have ever noted in the entire written history of psychology.

The business world suffers from a lack of connection, as well.

In my leadership and culture work, one of my most sought-after management trainings is “Leading from the Heart,” where people learn how to reconnect and flex their empathy to create a more positive and productive work experience. I cannot tell you how many participants continue to stress that this learning has changed their world at work.

People are hungry for connection.

Superficial Connectedness

Turkle cites “superficial connectedness” as a chief culprit. This interferes with deeper, more meaningful exchanges and opportunities to reflect upon and synthesize information for greater critical thinking.

A chief factor is technology.

It facilitates an influx of information that increases daily, and it enables us to communicate at warp speed. This gift is often misused, and the sheer magnitude of incoming can create an imposed need to respond just as quickly.

There are other factors that impel us to respond to the tyranny of the urgent.

Jeff Bezos is quoted to have said, “Go fast and break things!”

Words and phrases like velocity and warp speed are touted as prized – and indeed, the global marketplace shifts constantly as the earth rotates.

However, must this become the new culture?

Because when it comes to connection, speed can be dangerous.

As speed pushes us forward, our personal resources to slow down and connect with others diminish. Along with this, empathy begins to wither.

How can you begin to make your way back to making meaningful connections in a business world that assuredly continues to gain speed?

Here are three ways that will help you get back on track to make connecting an intentional and rewarding experience:

  1. Place boundaries around your technology use.

A study by global tech protection and support company Asurion reveals that the average person struggles to move beyond 10 minutes without checking their phone. In fact, this study reveals that Americans check their phone on average once every 12 minutes, burying their faces in their phones 80 times a day.

Get creative with how you minimize your technology when you are meeting to connect with others.

    • Place the phone on “airplane mode.”

If this idea makes you cringe, begin by giving your phone to your assistant and alerting him or her to let you know if certain urgent calls come in.

    • Turn your computer’s e-mail alerts off.

Studies show that each distraction makes you lose 20 minutes of focus – in other words, it will take you a full 20 minutes to get your head back into concentrating on what you were doing prior to the distraction.

    • Have an inviting seating area in your office or meeting place with no tech devices such as computers or iPads.

Better yet, ask if you can walk outside together as you talk. This is not only invigorating, but it removes all office distractions and allows for deeper conversations. Old-fashioned. Retro. Connective.

  1. Flex your empathy by reviving your deep listening skills.

Are you truly listening to connect, or are you just waiting for a pause so that you can jump in?

Check yourself to make sure you are giving full focus to the other person. Ask questions – and ask the “follow-up question” to go deeper. Listen to learn and not to fix. Ask to understand and not to get to the bottom of things. Observe to widen your perspective, and not to make a quick judgment.

  1. Invest in your connections.

In such a fast-paced world, your circles of influence are probably bursting. Identify the handful that you feel you need to play an active and meaningful part in your world, and plan connection with them. That’s breakfast, coffee, golf, or some face-to-face activity that gives you time to have different and more rewarding conversations.

Technology and the speed of change are here for good. Let’s make sure our ability to make and sustain meaningful connections rises to meet them.

HOW MUCH

DO OTHERS REALLY TRUST YOU?

​Learn the two vital parts to trust and how they can help you become a more highly effective leader.

GET THE INFOGRAPHIC

© Patti Cotton and patticotton.com. All rights reserved. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express written permission from the author is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that attribution is made to Patti Cotton and patticotton.com, with links thereto.